Brake mechanism



May 16, 1939. J. coPPbLA ET AL 2,158,175

BRAKE MECHANISM Filed Oct. 28., 1936 3 Shee ts-Sheet l J. COPPOLA ET AL BRAKE MECHANISM May 16, 1939.

- May 16, 1939. J. COPPOLA ET AL BRAKE MECHANISM 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Oct. 28, 1936 of the latter.

Patented May 16. 1939 BRAKE MECHANISM James Coppolaiand Gerald R. Robinson,

Mass.

Application October 28, 1936, Serial No. 108,056

1 Claim.

Our invention relates to brake mechanisms for vehicles and it has for its object to provide an improved inertia operated brake mechanism for trailer vehicles which will be automatically oper- 5 erated when the trailer and the pulling vehicle' move relatively toward or from each other while traveling over a roadway.

Another object of the invention is to provide for the automatic control and operation of a stop signal disposed at or adjacent to the rear end of the trailer so that when the brake mechanism of" the latter is automatically operated the signal will be simultaneously operated automatically also. i

To these ends we have provided the improved "brake mechanism and stop signal devices set forth in the. following description, the several novel features of the invention being separately pointed out and defined in the claim at the close In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the adjacent endportions of a trailer and pulling vehicle equipped "with an inertia operated trailer brake mechanism constructed in'accordance with this invention.

Figure 2 is an elevation, partly in section, of the coupling connecting the two vehicles shown in Fig. 1 and including the force pump hereinafter referred to.-

Figure 3 is a sectionon line 3-3 of Fig. 2. Figure 4 is a plan view, more or less diagrame matic, of the brake mechanism and stop signal devices of the vehicles shown in Fig. 1.

In-the illustrated embodiment of our'invention the frame of the trailer vehicle l includes a pair of forwardly extending and converging side bars .I l, H, and between the forward ends of the latter is fitted and fixed'a block l2 having a hole formed therethrough within which is slidably 40 mounted a draw-bar 13. The forward end of this draw-bar is connected by a universal joint II with the frame of the'rpulling vehicle l5.

At its rear end the draw-bar I3 is provided with a pair of abutment collars libetween which 45 and block l2 may be arranged a coiled spring I! surrounding the draw-bar. This spring is desirable but not essential and if omitted the'abutment collars l6 will be disposedtonormallydider.

7 brakes.

At itsforward end the draw-baris provided ing arm 22 to the upper end of which is pivotally connected one end of a piston rod 23 whose opposite end is in abutting engagement with a piston 24 slidably arranged within a cylinder 25 that is fixed'rigidly in position upon the top of the block 12.

A coiled spring 26 within cylinder 25 bears at its one end'against one end of piston 24 to'yieldingly hold the latter against the inner end of rod 23 and at its opposite end abuts an end wall v or head of the cylinder.

The forward end of cylinder 25 is'telescopically fitted into,-and has fixedly attached to it, one end of a tubular flexible rubber bellows 21 which surrounds the piston rod 23 and has its forward end fixedly attached thereto. This bellows provides for endwise movement of the piston rod and at the same time prevents leakage from the cylin- At its rear end the cylinder 25 is made with a port 28 connected by'conduits-29--3D and 29-3I, Fig. 4, with hydraulically operated brakes 32, of usual construction, with which the wheels of the trailer III- are provided. The part of cylinder that is occupied by the'coiled spring 26 and con- 25 7 piston 24 and rod. 23 forces oil through port 28 thereby applying the brakes 32. It will also be clear thatthe return movement of cylinder 25 3 accompanying a rearward movement of the trailer relatively to the pulling vehicle results in a reverse movement of the oil which unsets the A collar 34 fixed on draw ba I3 is 2min of 'block l2 serves, through engagement with the latter, to limit the forward movement of the trailer relatively to the draw-bar and pulling vehicle.

mechanism of the trailer when this is desired anormally inoperative abutment; or stop member 35 is provided adjacent to the collar 34. This ,stop member is pivotally mounted at 36, Fig. 3,

on an arm projecting laterally from one side of block I2 of which it is part and normally rests bygravity upon a stud 38 projecting from said arm.- when resting upon stud 38 the free end of member 35 is below the path of collar." and relatively to the trailer so that the hydraulic .the latter is ireeto move rearwardly with drawbar [3 as far as block 12. It will be clear,how*

ever, that when member 115 is swung, upwardly into position against bar I! it occupies a position between block 12 and collar" and serves to prevent rearward movement of draw-bar l3 brakes of the trailer will not be set when vehicle swung from its neutral position shown in Fig. 4,

. I5 is backed up while .stop member occupies its elevated position. a

0n thearm 31 is also fixed When coil sidewise and then forwardly into the position indicated by dotted lines to throw the transmission of the vehicle intoreverse, it engages a sta-' tionarily supported contact .15 thereby closing .the

circuit]! and energizirigcoil-JS preparatory to backing vehicle l5. When level 4.4 is shifted out a of position for reverse drive of course circuit 42 I 'is opened and stop '35 falls into its inoperative position.

Alongside or the gear-shift lever 41 is shown the usual ioot-brakelever 46 connected with the.

piston of a pump 41 that'is part of the hydraulic brake system of vehicle I.-;,;

At its rear end the trail I0 is provided with an electric .stopf signal lamp Q8 constructed with a normally open pressure operated make-andbreak switch mechanism 49 connected by a conduit 50 with the-rear-end portion of the interior of cylinder 25. This lamp with its switch mechanism may be constructed as usual inthe case of hydraulically operated stop lamps now in use on automobiles;

- Lamp and switch mamas bah-e arranged the coil39=of a solenoid whose core 40 is pivotally'connected at 4| to the pivoted stopmember 35.

39 is energized its core ll raises member 35' unans-8, 4 v

in series in a'circuit 5| together with battery.

and it will be clear that when thetwo vehicles 7 are traveling over a roadway and when the brakes are applied to vehicle IF, the trailer moves forwardly'relatively to draw-bar I3 causing the piston M to act through the oil within cylinder 25 and conduit ll automatically toclosethe switch v of lamp. 48 which results in illumination of the v latter. It will be imderstood that while the trailer is beinggpulled forward by draw-bar l3, the switch of lamp 40 is open and the latter is not illuminated Part of the circuit 5! is mounted upon the;

trailer [0 while thebattery 43 and'other part of said circuit is mountedupon the pulling vehicle l5. Therefore this circuit may include a separable connector orplug and socket such as that shown at 52' in Fig. 1 but which is omitted from Fig. 4. In practice a similar connector or plug and socket may be provided in the circuit 12 so' that the portion thereof connected with the trailer may be separated from the portionthereof mounted on the pulling vehicle l5.

What we claim is:' t r a In combination, .a motor propelled pulling -v'e-' hicle provided witha gear shiit member; a trailer vehicle; brake mechanism for said trailer ve-' hicle; means coupling the forward end of said trailer vehicle to therear end of said pulling vehicle with provision for relative fore andaft movement of said vehicles to a limited extent;

means automatically operated by forward move-'-- 'ment of the trailervehicle relatively to the pulling vehicle for setting the brakes of said trailer vehicle; a normally inoperative device that is adjustable into an operative position where it holdsthe said vehicles against relative movement toward each other; an electro-magnet for adjusting saiddevice into its operative position, an electrio circuitin which said device is arranged, and

switch means controlled by the gear-shiftmember of said pullingvehicle for. energizing said" magnet thereby to render said deviceoperative to' hold-said vehicles against brake-setting relative JAMES bOPPOLAQ 'movement toward each other when said gear' shift member is thrown into reverse drive posi- 'tion.

GERALD nnonn som 

